Saturday, November 27, 2010

Stick a fork in it - BiLo is done. The doors were closed today. The store was virtually empty at 9:00 this morning with only a skeleton crew running things.

Dave Knopp, Jr. will be running the show of the new store (Save-A-Lot) and will retain any employees that wish to stay on board.

The BiLo store will undergo extensive remodeling, reducing the size of the floor space to around 18,000 sq. ft. (basically the size of Aldi). This means that the bakery and the deli will be eliminated. RX Express will expand their store into that area.

Save-A-Lot will likely be continuing the delivery service to local shut-ins, which is a good thing.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

For the 29th year in a row, the Borough Council of Grove City passed a balanced budget that requires no hike in property taxes! Millage will stay the same at 2.5 mills.

The overall budget increased slightly, primarily due to an increased expenditure in the borough infrastructure. The borough will be increasing its water supply operations in the park and increasing the voltage of the electrical system to keep up with modern demand.

Additionally, the newly refurbished wastewater treatment plant will receive a new employee and the police department will receive a new officer (eliminating the use of part-time officers).

The budget was put together by Borough Manager Vance Oakes and budget committee members Andrea Folkertsma, Michael Coulter, and yours truly.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

I last posted about Rush Limbaugh's Thanksgiving lesson in 2007, so it's time to bring it out again: Click Here

But why bring it out again? Because John Stossel of Fox News (formerly of ABC News) has written his own take - and it's basically the same message. Needless to say, it bears repeating, for the message is too important to let go in this period of American decline toward socialism and communism.

Had today's political class been in power in 1623, tomorrow's holiday would have been called "Starvation Day" instead of Thanksgiving. Of course, most of us wouldn't be alive to celebrate it.

Every year around this time, schoolchildren are taught about that wonderful day when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared the fruits of the harvest. But the first Thanksgiving in 1623 almost didn't happen.

Long before the failure of modern socialism, the earliest European settlers gave us a dramatic demonstration of the fatal flaws of collectivism. Unfortunately, few Americans today know it.

The Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony organized their farm economy along communal lines. The goal was to share the work and produce equally.

That's why they nearly all starved.

When people can get the same return with less effort, most people make less effort. Plymouth settlers faked illness rather than working the common property. Some even stole, despite their Puritan convictions. Total production was too meager to support the population, and famine resulted. This went on for two years.

"So as it well appeared that famine must still ensue the next year also, if not some way prevented," wrote Gov. William Bradford in his diary. The colonists, he said, "began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could, and obtain a better crop than they had done, that they might not still thus languish in misery. At length after much debate of things, [I] [with the advice of the chiefest among them] gave way that they should set corn every man for his own particular, and in that regard trust to themselves. And so assigned to every family a parcel of land."

In other words, the people of Plymouth moved from socialism to private farming. The results were dramatic.

"This had very good success," Bradford wrote, "for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been. By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them plenty, and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many."

Because of the change, the first Thanksgiving could be held in November 1623.

What Plymouth suffered under communalism was what economists today call the tragedy of the commons. The problem has been known since ancient Greece. As Aristotle noted, "That which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it."

If individuals can take from a common pot regardless of how much they put in it, each person has an incentive to be a free-rider, to do as little as possible and take as much as possible because what one fails to take will be taken by someone else. Soon, the pot is empty.

What private property does -- as the Pilgrims discovered -- is connect effort to reward, creating an incentive for people to produce far more. Then, if there's a free market, people will trade their surpluses to others for the things they lack. Mutual exchange for mutual benefit makes the community richer.

Here's the biggest irony of all: The U.S. government has yet to apply the lesson to its first conquest, Native Americans.

The U.S. government has held most Indian land in trust since the 19th century. This discourages initiative and risk-taking because, among other reasons, it can't be used as collateral for loans.

On Indian reservations, "private land is 40 to 90 percent more productive than land owned through the Bureau of Indian Affairs," says economist Terry Anderson, executive director of PERC. "If you drive through western reservations, you will see on one side cultivated fields, irrigation, and on the other side, overgrazed pasture, run-down pastures and homes. One is a simple commons; the other side is private property. You have Indians on both sides. The important thing is someone owns one side."

Secure property rights are the key. When producers know their future products are safe from confiscation, they take risks and invest. But when they fear they will be deprived of the fruits of their labor, they will do as little as possible.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Men: Why in the world would you let the women in your lives go through the unconstitutional TSA groping or porn-scan show? Is your wife or girlfriend worth so little to you that you'd submit her to that indignity? Are you just going to stand back as some pervert ogles her body via the scanner or gropes her in front of a line full of strangers?

Parents: Why would you let an adult fondle your child in the name of "security"? We tell our kids to "never let anyone touch you in your private parts" - and then you hold your kid steady so a government agent can run his or her hands all over their defenseless, little bodies. Shame on you!

STOP being controlled like sheep! Do you not care about your dignity? Do you not care about the dignity of your family? Do you not care about your Fourth Amendment rights being trampled? Will you be as silent when the government terminates the rest of your constitutional rights?

And where the heck are the liberals and the civil libertarians who couldn't wait to bash Bush over the Patriot Act (written by Joe Biden, by the way)? Where is your outrage? You sorry bunch of hypocrites!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

It's official. Grove City BiLo has been sold to the Knopp family. Dave Knopp, Sr. owns County Market in Pine Township. Dave Knopp is also instrumental in the drive to keep the Wal-Mart Supercenter from being built in Springfield Township. It is understood that Dave Knopp, Jr. will be operating the store as a Save-A-Lot.

The store will be shuttered after the close of business on Saturday the 27th. The store will undergo a remodeling, with an projected opening in time for the Christmas shopping season.

All employees will be retained.

As of right now, general merchandise is 30% off. Health and beauty items are 50% off.

Starting Sunday the 21st, everything will be 50% until Saturday the 27th (unless they sell out of merchandise first).

For Thanksgiving, the store will be open until 1:00 on Wednesday and be closed on Thursday.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Here is the latest information from BiLo. These are NOT rumors - this is direct from BiLo.

- The store will definitely be open through next week, including Saturday the 27th. It is possible that the store could be open beyond the 27th, depending on the sale and the amount of inventory in the store.- Everything is now 30% off; the store is still trying to sell down inventory to pave the way for the next owner.- There is now a second buyer who is very interested. Both buyers have made offers that are under consideration.- All employees who want to stay will get to stay, regardless of who buys the store.- The purchase process is now in the hands of the lawyers, so the situation is very fluid.

As soon as the sale happens, I'll know immediately and will post it here. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

First of all, please know that this information comes from BiLo - not from some rumor mill that claims to have a friend of a friend of a friend who "knows everything about it." The rumors going around at this point have crossed into ridiculous territory.

The store will be open at least to the 20th. It is likely to be open until Thanksgiving. If sold, the store will likely closed up to two weeks for a basic remodel.

All items are 20% off. They are trying to sell down inventory in case they close or if the new owner wants to carry different products.

The sale looks more "favorable" than "unfavorable" at the moment. The lease rate is the biggest stumbling block, but negotiation is still going on. The potential buyer does have a record of keeping the store employees, so that's certainly good news for the 29 people employed at BiLo.

Thursday, November 04, 2010

Campaign Manager Josh Snyder will transition to serve as Kelly's Chief of Staff and will work out of Kelly's office in Washington, DC. Brad Moore, who served as Kelly's campaign spokesperson, will serve as Kelly's District Director and work out of the Erie office.

Snyder...was the Director of Public Liaison for former Congressman Phil English from 2001-2003 and served as the Executive Director for Senator Arlen Specter in both northwestern Pennsylvania and central Pennsylvania from 2006-2009.... Moore also served as the Director of Public Liaison for former Congressman English from 2003-2006.

This is the same idea of people saying "Obama isn't a socialist" even though he surrounds himself with socialists. Is Obama a socialist or totally ignorant of the ideologies of those around him? How about Mike Kelly?

I have an enormous amount of respect for the Members of Congress who have come before me in this district. Tom Ridge, Phil English and Congresswoman Dahlkemper have all done what they thought was in the best interest of this district. There is something to learn from each of them. I’d particularly like to thank Congresswoman Dahlkemper for her service the past two years.

Of course, it's good to be magnanimous and gracious in victory, but this is glorious gushing over the reason why PA-3 is in sad, sorry shape. Enormous respect? Something to learn from them? Ugh. How can anyone respect the sheer damage that Dahlkemper did to the region? And what about English? His RINO, self-serving behavior paved the way for Dahlkemper. And Ridge, especially as governor, was quite liberal and did enormous damage to the state.

There is sad news in town that BiLo is closing. BiLo is the only grocery store in Grove City borough. They've been around for a very long time. Lots of good stuff there, but still has a small-store feel. They deliver food to shut-ins all over the community.

BiLo has signs in their windows stating that they are open "Wed-Fri: 8-6." This, of course, implies they are closing Friday evening. However, a BiLo manager has told me that they are posting hours for employees through next week. The situation remains fluid, of course, so stay tuned.

Please keep in mind the 29 employees who face a very uncertain future. They were informed of the situation on Tuesday.

There is another semi-local company that is interested in buying out the Knouse family. This company has multiple stores in the area. Let's hope that the deal works out. It would be a shame to see so many people lose their jobs and to not have a grocery store in the borough.

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

First of all, she shouldn't have won two years ago. The truth is that Phil English lost because he was a pork-loving, Washington establishment liar. He was the worst campaigner, focusing on trashing everyone. Finally, he burnt too many bridges. Kathy Dahlkemper simply had to smile and say conservative things. Boom. Victory.

Fast forward to 2010 and the region stood back and watched her self-destruct. We told her with a resounding "NO" that we didn't want government healthcare. She claimed she was pro-life and that she wouldn't vote for healthcare that funded abortion.

As I have said before, either Dahlkemper is a horrible liar or has no idea about the function of politics. It is totally proven that Obamacare funds abortion. And Dahlkemper denies it! Now I've come to the conclusion that she's a horrible liar or totally delusional.

We all came to that conclusion. We don't like liars. And when caught, we hate when liars keep lying and scolding us for noticing the lies.

Goodbye, Kathy. Enjoy retirement. Good luck trying to run your small business in the America that you, Pelosi, Reid, and Obama have created.